Apparatus for producing instantaneous flash-light



(No Model.)

A. HEMSLEY. APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING INSTANTANEOUS FLASH LIGHT.

No. 426,411. PateritedApr. 22. 1890.

mvjfrycmzm M mas- 4 M if UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER HEMSLEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO LUOIEN O.OVERPECK, OFHAMILTON, OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING INSTANTANEOUS FLASH-LIGHT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,411, dated April22, 1890. Application filed May 8, 1888. Serial No. 273,163. (No model.)

.To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER HEMsLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Phila-' delphiaand State of Pennsylvania, have inyented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Igniting Materials and Producing anInstantaneous Artificial Flash- Light Applicable to PhotographicPurposes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to apparatus applicable to instantaneousphotographic and other purposes.

The principal objects of my invention are, first, to provide a device orapparatus with a stationary or removable shallow vessel or receptaclefor holding a material, capable of ignition and with means whereby aflame in the form of a jet may be caused to ignite said material andthereby produce an incandescent artificial flash-light especiallyapplicable to instantaneous photography, and, second, to provide thedevice or apparatus with aburner located close proximity to said shallowvessel I and with a reflector capable of adj ustment, located in therear thereof, in order to enable the operator to properly focus thefigure or object to be translated and to enable him to determine withgreater accuracy or certainty how the shadows are falling, whereby theartistic effect of the photograph will be appreciably enhanced.

My invention will be more particularly understood taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, illustrating in perspective mymiproveddevice or apparatus in a form which has been found practically eificientfor the purpose.

Referring to the drawing, A is an oblong table made of brass, copper, orother material, provided with a shallow vessel or receptacle a forcontaining material to be ignited.

B is a gas-admission pipe onto which the table A is secured. To theupper extremity of the pipe 13 is rigidly secured a fitting 0, providedwith an ordinary valve-cock c, for

shutting off the gas forced through the pipe 13 and small orifices inthe fitting c. A curved or other form of pipe cl, with a taperingextremity to produce a jet-flame, is secured into the fitting c and isin direct communication with an orifice formed in the fitting 0. Gas insufficient quantity is allowed to escape around the valve-cock c topermit of the lighting of the same at the end of the pipe cl and to keepa flame thereat while the gas is being forced upward through the pipe Band the attachments secured thereon, and onto which the burner isfitted, in a manner to be presently explained.

Rigidly secured to the fitting c is -a T-fitting d, with a centralorifice extending up ward through the same for the passage of gas, andto which fitting is attached a swinging fixture or bracket D, with avalve-stem with orifices therein, and which stem is held to place in thefitting d by means of a washer d and nut (1 This swinging fixture orbracket D has a freedom of movement in the fitting cl, whereby theposition of the single or duplex burner d attached to the free extremityof said fixture, may be adjusted to any desired angle or position forproperly focusing and determining with accuracy or certainty how theshadows will fall in the p110- tograph.

To the head of the stop-cock c is rigidly secured an oscillating leverf, extending downward through an oblong slot a in the table A. Thislever is pivoted to a bifurcated longitudinal rod f, provided with apiston-head f The longitudinal rod f ,pivoted to the oscillating leverf, is caused to move back and forth in a cylinder F, supported to theunder side of the table A, by compressing a bulb g, fitted to a sectionof hose attached to a pipe g, secured into the head of the cylinder F.

Mounted on the table A is an inverted L- plate II, with an oblong slot htherein. In the table A is rigidly secured a post It, the upper portionof which is threaded for the reception of a nut 71 whereby the plate Hmay be clamped in a desired position onto the table A to regulate themovement of the longitudinal piston-rodf forward and backward whenactuated by means of the hose and bulb g and the opening and closing ofthe valve-cock c, which regulates the flow of gas through the pipes Band (Z to increase or diminish the size of the jet-flame caused toignite the material previously placed in the shallow vessel or of thetable for the production of an artificial flash-light and as well thesize of the flame at the burner d in close proximity to the receptacleor shallow vessel a.

Rigidly secured to the rear of the table A 1s a sleeve m, with atightening-screw m. Through this sleeve a vertical rod 'n is insertedand held in any desired position vertically by means of thetightening-screw m. The upper extremity of the vertical rod or isprovlded with a tongue 17., which is fitted between two jaws o and 0 ofa bracket 0, secured to theback of a reflector P of any suit.- ableconstruction. The reflector P may be set at any desired angle by meansof an adusting-screw 19, passing through the jaws 0 and 0 of the bracket0 and the tongue at of the vertical rod n. A standard E, provided with asocket e, is fitted onto the gas-pipe B and supports the apparatushereinbefore described by means of the set-screw e in any desiredvertical position. The gas-pipe B is connected with a source of supplyby means of rubber tube 1), and the apparatus may be thereby set at anydesired height by simply increasing the length of the pipe 13 and therubber tube b.

Having described and pointed out the characteristic features of myimproved apparatus, I will now proceed to briefly explain the mode ofoperation thereof for causing a material or compound to be ignited forproducing an instantaneous flash-light especially applicable tophotographic purposes' The table is first elevated to the positiondesired, with the reflector P set to the angle and height for causingthe best results to be obtained. The gas-burner d and the j etpipe d arethen lighted by the attendant and the material to be ignited placed inthe shallow vessel or receptacle a of the table A. The rubber bulb g, inconnection with a section of hose attached to the pipe 9, extendingthrough the head of the cylinder F, is compressed, thereby forcing theair against the piston and causing the longitudinal piston-rod'to bemoved forward, actuating the oscillating lever f and opening the valve0,

and causing a flame at the end of the pipe (I, in the form of a jet, tobe communicated to the material or compound capable of being readilyignited in the shallow vessel at, producing instantly an incandescentflashlight for photographic and other purposes. By releasing thepressure exerted on the bulb g the piston will be retracted, therebypartially closing the valve 0 and diminishing the size of the flame atthe extremity of the pipe d.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the use of ordinarygas, as where such is not available the lime or other light may besubstituted with equally good results.

I do not wish to be understood as claiming as of my invention thecombination of a continuous actinic light, an exposed shelf contiguousthereto and adapted to receive a charge of flash material, and means forlighting said charge.

I hereby disclaim as of my invention a device provided with a tablecontaining a shallow vessel for the reception of material to be ignited,a pipe secured to said table for admitting gas to a burner and to apipesecured to said admission-pipe, and means for causinga flame to becommunicated to sa1d material.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. A device provided with a table contaming a shallow vessel for thereception of material to be ignited, a pipe secured to said table foradmitting gas to a burner and to a pipe secured to said admission-pipe,and means for causingaflame to be communlcated to said material,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A device consisting of a table containing a shallow vessel, a pipefor supportmg said table and admitting gas to a et-pipe, a valve in saidadmission-pipe, and a piston actuated by air-pressure for operating saidvalve, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. A device consisting of an adjustable table provided with a shallowvessel and an adjustable reflector, a pipe for admitting gas to aburner, and a curved pipe secured 1nto said pipe, and a valve actuatedby air-pressure for causing a jet-flame to be produced, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

4. A device consisting of a table with a shallow vessel and a reflector,a pipe for admitting gas to a burner in close proximity to said vesseland to a pipe located below said burner, a valve in a fitting attachedto sa1d pipe, and a piston operated by air-pressure, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

5. A device consisting of a table provided with a shallow vessel forcontaining an 1gnitible material, an adjustable reflector, a pipe foradjustably supporting'said table-and admitting gas to a burner, and apipe attached tosaid admission-pipe and communleating with a valve, anda piston for operating said valve, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

6. A device consisting of a table provided with a shallow vessel, and apipe secured to said table and supplying gas to a burner and to a pipefor causing a j et-flame to be produced, a valve opened and closed by anoscillating lever actuated by a piston under pressure, and an adjustablestandard for elevating and lowering said table, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

7. A device consisting of a table provided with a receptacle forcontaining an ignitible material, a pipe for adj ustably supporting saidtable and supplying an illuminant to a burner, and a j et-pipe incommunication with signature in the presence of two subscribing a valveprovided with a lever, and a piston Witnesses.

for operatilw saidlever and means for re 'ni q r lating the baek-and-forth movement of said ALEXANDER HEMLLEX' 5 valve, substantiallyas and for the purposes Witnesses:

set forth. EDW. E. OULLEN,

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my HERMANN BORMANN.

